Kansas City Chiefs remain undecided on whether RB Dameon Pierce will make his debut against Las Vegas Raiders in Week 18

Kansas City Chiefs fans might be waiting until the 2026 NFL season for the debut of one of their midseason acquisitions from the 2025 NFL season.

The Chiefs signed RB Dameon Pierce to the practice squad back in November after the Houston Texans released him in an effort to improve their running back room. Pierce has since had six weeks of practice to get acclimated to the new system. He was promoted to the 53-man roster ahead of Week 16, but he still hasn't set foot on the field for a game. With little more than the Chiefs-Raiders rivalry, contract incentives, and records left to play for in Week 18, there's an outside expectation that Kansas City may get an extended look at young players and potential future contributors like Pierce. That's not a given, though, according to the man calling the shots.

Chiefs RB Dameon Pierce's playing status is still to be determined for Week 18 vs. the Raiders

Speaking to reporters ahead of practice on Wednesday, Chiefs HC Andy Reid was non-committal about RB Dameon Pierce getting the opportunity to play in Week 18. Reid insists that there's still more that he'll need to see from him this week, leading up to that game, to make the determination.

"Yeah, well, we'll see how it goes," Reid said. "He'll be in there. He'll practice, and he's been doing that, gradually working him in. So, making sure that he's comfortable with what we're doing. And I mean, there's a chance that he would have a chance to get up there, but Herbie (Teope), I gotta see that as we go here. See how he does in the rest of the practice's here."

Chiefs RB Dameon Pierce's NFL career quick facts

• Fourth-round pick out of Florida by the Houston Texans in the 2022 NFL Draft.
• 20 career starts with 42 games played.
• 415 carries for 1,674 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.
• 45 receptions on 61 targets for 268 receiving yards and one touchdown.

At the end of the day, Pierce will have to earn the trust of the coaching staff through his preparation during the practice week. Can he show the coaching staff that he knows the playbook, the protection calls, and the scheme? That could be the difference between Pierce getting a Week 18 debut or waiting even longer until the 2026 offseason arrives to get a look at No. 34.

This story was originally published by A to Z Sports on Dec 31, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.